Ministry urges employers to support breastfeeding mothers in the workplace

Speaking at the World Breastfeeding Week commemoration at Windhoek Central Hospital, Ndjaleka emphasized that mothers should not have to choose between their careers and their children's health. She advocated for robust maternity leave policies, dedicated breastfeeding corners, and flexible hours, noting that workplaces need to adapt to accommodate breastfeeding mothers. This appeal is not new, as the labor ministry made a similar call in 2024 in response to a study by the Nutrition and Food Security Alliance of Namibia Nafsan highlighting a lack of workplace support for breastfeeding mothers.

Ndjaleka stressed that breastfeeding support is a shared responsibility involving health facilities, communities, workplaces, and families. The ministry plans to introduce the "Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" across all maternity wards, antenatal clinics, and health facilities in Namibia, and expand the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. She also urged communities to normalize public breastfeeding, combat stigma, and encouraged fathers to actively support mothers at home.

Namibia faces challenges in breastfeeding practices, with the 2024 Smart Nutrition Survey showing only 49% of infants aged 0-5 months are exclusively breastfed. Ndjaleka reiterated that babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months,